Old Work

Here are a selection of a few I got earlier on in the year...

Styling: Rosie Buertello & Emily Grimes

Photography: Jessica Gates

More Testing

If you've passed by my recently you would have seen several posts on what I have been up to... I've been keeping myself very busy with model test shoots, here is an update with my latest:

Photograhy: Jessica Gates
Hair/Makeup: Chhimmi  Gurung
Styling: Emily Grimes

Test Shoots

If you have ever seen my instagram you would have more than likely noticed all the previews of studio work I have been posting lately. I am (and openly admit) a major instagram flooder #instaflooder! I just love instagram. Anyway... babble over, here are some more model test shots following on from a previous post:

I had set out to do these model portfolio shots in black and white... but while retouching them, which was ever so slight as the models were flawless, (darn to naturally beautiful!); I found myself keeping a few in colour.

Procrastination...

As you may or may not know, I am in my third year at university. We all know what third year means.... the dreaded dissertation!!! Right now I can't even pick up a book! I literally sit for hours doing other (more fun) work with them sat beside me and they don't get a look in. At least I am procrastinating with other work - I guess!

I should have read three books by tomorrow, and haven't started - God help me! Instead I've been retouching some shots from yesterday. I have even gone to the effort of locking my external hard drive (with the images on), my graphics tablet and mood boards in my office so I don't get distracted whilst 'reading'. 

But... as soon as I turn my laptop on, I find photoshop left open with a shot from yesterdays shoot! And I fell into a retouching coma. After I came out of this coma I realised the day was slowly but surely passing me by. 

Just thought I would share this shot (apparently I am liking the hand on the opposite arm pose) and after lunch (food - another delicious distraction!) I will read these blasted books!!!!

MUA: Hannah Spencer
Model: Joanna
Photography/Styling: Jessica Gates 

Today was spent...

...in the studio test shooting Joanna and Derrick from Body London. For this the agency wanted really clean images to show of the models and I wanted something raw and natural - being on the same wave length was a great start! 

Having done very little shooting for months; I got completely lost in it, my finger got extremely trigger happy and I took hundreds of photographs. This abundance of shots therefore results in a mega amount of retouching (making more work for myself as usual). The lights did their fair share too - we soon realised it was time for a break as a cloud of smoke emerged from the main light. 

I manages to get a few quick edits in whilst finishing up in the studio, stay tuned for more...

MUA: Hannah Spencer

Model: Joanna

Photography/Styling: Jessica Gates

Photography: Jessica Gates

Lately I have been...

So it's back to university and on attempting to start my final major project for my third and final year I came up completely blank. I just needed some me time to get creative and interested in what I love again - I was in dire need of inspiration!

To get me kick started I set off into the heart of London to visit a few exhibitions. I would strongly advise all of the below to any person who wants to feel inspired or can appreciate the creative world. 

I was especially thrown back by some of the amazing talent I pondered for almost 3 hours over at the Paper exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. I honestly thought I would be there under an hour (which totally messed up my schedule for the day) but triple that and thats how long I spent looking in detail at the variety of beautiful and unique pieces. With the great diversity present, I didn't appreciate it all but there was so much there that I couldn't take me eyes off - an exhibition with something for everyone!

When looking at photographs I like and photographers I admire I shamefully find myself mindlessly typing their names into google. Nothing beats seeing the works up-close and printed in such great quality with that silver finish, it enabled me to appreciate every single detail. From now on I am sure to go see works face on instead of over the internet, the quality of print and settings set the works to their full potential. 

I am so glad I took the first few weeks of university to explore and ignite my passion again, it has set me up to face the music...

If anyone has been to a great exhibition or interesting gallery that they think I could enjoy - please feel free to forward a suggestion, it would be much appreciated! 

Jessica x

ICA - Off-Site: A Journey Through London Subculture: 1980s to Now @ The Old Selfridges Hotel

Lucky PDF
Photographed by: Jessica Gates

Dayfdd Jones
Photographed by: Jessica Gates

Avedon @ Gagosian Gallery

Richard Avedon

Robert Mapplethorpe: Fashion Show @ Alison Jaques Gallery

Robert Mapplethorpe

Robert Mapplethorpe
Photographed by: Jessica Gates

Paper @ Saatchi Gallery

Yuken Teruya
Photograph by: Jessica Gates

Marcelo Jácome
Photographed by: Jessica Gates

New Order: British Art Now @ Saatchi Gallery

Nicholas Deshayes
Photographed by: Jessica Gates

Nicolas Deshayes
Photographed by: Jessica Gates

Philip-Lorca diCorcia: East of Eden @ David Zwirner

Philip-Lorca diCorcia

HOM SS14 Featuring HOM by Jonathan Saunders Continued...

As I mentioned in my previous post I shot the HOM SS14 show at London Collections: Men from the official photographers pit. 

I could hear hearts flutter as the nearly naked men swept the runway sporting and array of sleek underwear and stylish swimwear. Although a brief show (see what I did there), it was a brilliant! I thoroughly enjoy the fast past pace of the runway, whilst obviously this show had its perks. 

Here are some of the images I captured that night, enjoy! 

Jessica x

Photography: Jessica Gates

HOM SS14 Featuring HOM by Jonathan Saunders

I have been so busy recently! From interning to a mini get away and interning again, I have not had a moment free; if I have had a spare day I've been working, catching up on sleep, eating properly,  washing and cleaning etc (the usual boring stuff). 

I have been interning with photographer Timur Celikdag and have had the most amazing experience. As well as being the nicest/coolest man, he actually wanted me to learn and I am so grateful for what he taught me. I got the chance to assist on a Mr Porter shoot and two McQ lookbooks whilst with him. 

In-between all this excitement I managed to go away for a week with a small group of friends to Newquay, and we somehow magically went during the one week of summer England actually got. Not a drop of rain with barely a cloud in the sky, I actually achieved a tan!

But, what I really wanted to share was what I got up to last night. I came by the chance to shoot HOM SS14 Featuring HOM by Jonathan Saunders at LC:M. I am going to be honestly truthful, a lot of my pictures came out blurry. I set the aperture too wide and didn't realised I had accidentally done this until after the show was over. It all went so fast that I just didn't realise, or have the time to check once the show had started. Luckily not all the shots I gained were blurry and I've still got loads I can use; so, all was not lost! You learn from your mistakes right? And, I am definitely still learning and I will not do that again! Here are just a few for now, when I get home to Portsmouth I will go through them again and post more.

Jessica x

Photography: Jessica Gates

Another image from the test shoot shown in Well... It's been a while!

Jessica x

Photography: Jessica Gates

Hair/Makeup: Chim

Model: Anna